This research enrichment proposal will enable Tougaloo College to continue to play a key role in increasing the applicant pool of minority biomedical scientists by motivating the students to pursue biomedical careers and , more specifically, biomedical research careers. Tougaloo College has a long history of commitment to the mission of the MBRS program of producing graduates who will be in the forefront of research. The science division of the college has several programs such as the MARC program, Minority High School Research Apprentice program and the Summer Science Program all of which ensure that we have a large pool of highly motivated students who will benefit from this MBRS program. This MBRS proposal will enable the science division to institute a biomedical research enrichment program that will benefit both faculty and students. It will also enable three faculty members Drs. Bruno, Mehrotra and Srinivasan to obtain the necessary additional biomedical research training in the laboratories of established scientists. This training will enable them to be more competitive and productive biomedical researchers and thus help maintain the biomedical research environment, at Tougaloo College. Also included in this proposal is one independent research project by Dr. Agwaramgbo who will be investigating the silicon mediated reactions and their application to the synthesis of lactones. The long range biomedical related goals of this project are to test and utilize synthetic lactones as possible antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor agents.